The Reader and the meaning of the texts: the use of reasoning strategies / O leitor e o sentido do texto : o uso de estrategias de raciocinio

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2005

RESUMO

This work is a case study, which analyzes the strategies used by three groups of readers--three high school juniors, three seniors and four college students. The theoretical underpinnings of this study are Johnston s "reasoning strategies" (1983) and Umberto Eco s three intentions: "intention auctoris", "intention operis" and "intention lectoris" (1993). To accomodate both views, we will use the strategies as a means to get to the reader s focus on: the author s intended meaning", the "textual clues" or "the reader?s viewpoint". The aims are: (1) to categorize and (2) to analyze the strategies; (3) to examine the process of meaning construction by each group; and (4) to compare and contrast the three groups. Data were obtained by means of think-aloud protocols and participant interviews, based on short texts of different types. The analysis uses primarily an interpretive approach, consisting of participant observation and value judgements. The results show that less proficient readers tend (1) to favor the bottom-up process, as they direct their attention primarily to separate words and sentences and (2) to use strategies that mirror their own linguistic competence. More proficient readers, however, tend to analyze the text as a whole, by means of the so-called top-down process (most certainly, on account of their background knowledge and experience in reading). In addition, depending on the type of text, younger and/or less proficient readers, tend to read themselves into the texts ("intention lectoris") while older and/or more experienced ones tend to listen either to what the author ("intention auctoris") or the text ("intention operis") convey (or seem to convey). The results underscore the importance of identifying (1) the strategies used by learners and (2) the type of intention they search for in a text in order to help them overcome a few of the toughest difficulties imposed by the act of reading

ASSUNTO(S)

leitura compreensão comprehension estrategias reading strategies

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados